I really have to thank Orrin Hatch for the good belly laugh in his op-ed "Bad before, bad after" (Opinion, June 29).

In the 36 years he's been a senator, private industry has taken health care from consuming 7.8 percent of America's gross domestic product in 1976 to more than 17 percent in 2011, from $150 billion to $2.5 trillion, a 1,666 percent increase! And Hatch remains silent.

Today, our health care is twice as expensive as the average cost of other industrialized countries, for which we receive the 37th best care of the top 191 countries surveyed.

Hatch claims the Affordable Care Act puts Washington in between a patient and his or her doctor. As opposed to a for-profit insurance company? He's kidding, right?

For 36 years, Hatch has done little to address the health care issues we face. Why is now somehow different? Are we really supposed to believe he now wants to "start over," or is it just "go back"?

Every year for the past 10 years, my premiums have gone up and my coverage has decreased. "Obamacare" is not perfect, but it's a start and better than anything Hatch or Republicans have offered.

Larry LaCroix

Lehi